6

"Pose like this, Addi!"

I had no idea what Kei was planning to do with me, but I followed her lead anyway—it was her thing. When she gets into the mood, no one can stop her.

"Last one, then we’ll eat, I promise! Come on!"

I tried flashing my sweetest smile. Once she finally got the pose she wanted, she rushed over to show me the pictures she had taken.

So far, they all looked great—just as I expected.

"Can we eat now, Kei? I’m starving," I grumbled. Just a little more and I’d be ready to bite someone’s head off. I was starting to get annoyed—I hadn’t eaten since we left, and the trip was seventeen hours long. Who wouldn’t be starving by now?

"Okay, okay," she said while still checking her camera. She stayed in her spot for another few seconds before finally looking at me, then quickly looped her arm through mine.

"Let’s go! You said you wanted seafood, right? I know the perfect place!"

She really knows how to calm me down. I just rolled my eyes and let her drag me along. I had no idea where we were going anyway—it was my first time here, and possibly my last. I should probably make the most of it.

We ended up at an open-air restaurant. The place looked a bit like Baler, with bamboo all around. Most of the diners seemed to have just come from the beach—many of them wore simple beachwear—but knowing how wealthy this island was, I bet some of their outfits cost more than a week’s worth of my mom’s hospital bills.

The food was buffet-style, all laid out in food warmers, which made picking out dishes extra fun. Kei refused to eat in a closed or exclusive restaurant, even though she could easily afford it. I was all for that decision. I was used to this kind of place anyway. We used to have money, but even then, I preferred eating like this.

It just feels better when you’re free to eat whatever you want. And besides, I love seafood—it’s been my favorite since I was a kid. We used to go to this fast food hub where you could catch your own fish and have them cook it. That was the last memory I had with Papa. I didn’t even know it was going to be the last. If I had, maybe I would’ve made the most of it.

"Hey," Kei’s gentle tap on my shoulder pulled me out of my thoughts.

"You okay? You’ve been zoning out. I’ve been calling you."

I nodded. "I was just thinking about Papa."

She already knew everything about my life, so I didn’t bother finishing the story. She already knew where it was going.

"Oh come on, we’re here to have fun. I’m sure Tito’s fine up there. Just eat. The event is in two days, and before we go home, we have to explore the whole island, remember?"

I nodded.

"Now eat—don’t let that get cold."

I didn’t respond and just started peeling a shrimp before handing it to Kei. I knew she wasn’t used to eating stuff like this and was only here because it was the kind of food I liked. She smiled sweetly, took the shrimp, and dipped it into the sauce I grabbed earlier.

"Oh right, how’s your application at the Citadel? Did you get in?" she asked while I was teaching her how to peel shrimp without ruining the meat.

"Hmm, they said they’ll get back to me. I’m not expecting much, though. The other applicants were from top universities. Honestly, I feel like they won’t even bother evaluating mine. They’re only hiring two people."

"You know what, Addi?" She raised an eyebrow at me, and I frowned in return.

"You never change, do you? You’ve been like this since college. Why don’t you ever have confidence in yourself? Seriously, once the evaluator reads your CV, I bet they’ll fight over you. You’ve got so many strong credentials—you don’t have to tear yourself down like that."

"I just don’t want to get my hopes up. I’m scared of getting disappointed. My life’s already full of that—do I really need to add more?"

"Ugh, you’re such a drama queen," she said with a disgusted expression.

"It’s a two-year job, right? And the salary’s good? If you leave, who’s going to look after your mom? Do you want me to hire someone to care for her?"

I shook my head and took a sip of water before answering.

"No need. I already talked to my siblings about it. Plus, I’ll be coming home every six months for a week off, so I’ll still get to see them."

"Are you sure?" she asked, still focused on peeling the crab I pointed out earlier, "I mean, I can really do that for you."

"It’s not even certain I’ll get the job. Let’s just talk about that if I actually get a call." It’s hard to make big decisions when you're unsure about the outcome. You make all these plans, and then nothing happens—it’s depressing, honestly.

"Okay, whatever. So, where do you want to go later?"

"Up to you. You know this place better. Wait—aren’t we going to meet the couple getting married? I mean, it would help if I could get to know them a bit. That way, I could pick a fitting song to perform and arrange it properly. They’re paying me a lot, after all."

"Oh, we can. Maybe later tonight. I haven’t contacted them yet. But for now, can you just enjoy yourself? Work will still be there, and I know you’ll land something. Just enjoy the moment—you rarely come with me on trips like this. Don’t ruin it, duh!"

I couldn’t help but laugh when she rolled her eyes at me. Well, she’s right. I rarely get the chance to go on trips like this. This vacation is already a bonus.

Might as well enjoy it—this might not happen again. Jeez, me and my negative mindset. I hate it, but I can’t help it. Maybe I’ve just gotten used to expecting the worst.